Believing – Life in the Holy Spirit - Pr. Brent Cantelon

4th message in this series on Life in the Holy Spirit

1. Something new in the Holy Spirit
· The power of one accord
· What happens to me when I’m filled with the Holy Spirit?

2. Yield:
Goal: – that you and I would have a life transforming Baptism/immersion in the person and power of the Holy Spirit. An increase of relationship with the Holy Spirit’s power.
“I yield to you Holy Spirit”
“Lord Jesus, you are the baptizer, you promised I would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon me. I ask You to baptize me with the Holy Spirit now. I yield to you Holy Spirit, I will be immersed in Your power and fullness – You have complete control, I receive You by faith.”

“I am being filled with the Holy Spirit”

3. The Spirit of Revival:
I) First sign of the Spirit of Revival: The Bible is first of all!
II) Second Sign of the Spirit of Revival: Laborers in Kingdom work.
· Everyone can help
III) Third sign of the Spirit of Revival: Prayer that moves mountains
· Personal prayer
· Corporate prayer – new meetings springing up
IV) Fourth sign of the Spirit of Revival: Kingdom money
· Some begin
· Those already giving, increase their giving
V) Fifth Sign of the Spirit of Revival: Repentance from sin and a hunger for holiness.

4. Believing …
- read through Matt, Mark, Luke, John and Acts… so much said about believing
· Believe
· Believing
· Believed
· Believers

-226 times in the NT …

- identity as “believing”
John 20: 26 "And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

Holy Spirit – Spirit of Revival – moving to something new
Believing

Text: John 7: 37 "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified".

I) answered prayer – speaking to mountains
Matt 21: 21 "So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”


II) believing results in joy and peace
· Abounding in hope !!!
Romans 15: 13 "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit".

III) - believing affects behavior…
Acts 24:14 "But this I confess to you, . . . believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. 15I have hope in God, . . .that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. 16This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men".
· Hope in God
· Resurrection
· Conscience without offense to God and men!

IV) Believing or to believe brings - “Life” – in Jesus’ Name!
John 20: 30 "And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name".

Mark 16: 14 "Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

John 3: 36 "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

John 6: 35 "And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe".

John 8: 24 "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

John 11: 25 "Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? 27She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God",

1 John 5: 10 "He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life".

- the salvation of your souls
1 Peter 1: 8 "whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls".

V) How ?
- help my unbelief
Mark 9: 24 "Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

1.) Testimony:
- eye witnesses and fulfilled prophecy:
John 19: 35 "And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. 36For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” 37And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”

- written that you may believe – the authority of the Bible as a reliable witness to God
John 20: 31 "but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name".

- believing and then speak – confess your faith verbalize it
· Articulation of faith increases faith
2 Cor 4: 13 "And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, 14knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you".

- rebuke from Jesus, because they wouldn’t believe the eye witnesses
Mark 16: 14 "Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen".

1 John 5: 13 "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life,and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God".
· Continuing to believe!!! – requires maintenance
· All manner of assaults to our faith
· Liars, unbelieving opponents, demonic interference …
· Reading the testimony provides continuing faith!!! (last weeks bible challenge)

2) faith comes from a desire to please God… and that He is good.
Heb 11: 6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him".

3) - choosing to believe

Matt 9:28b “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
· The ability of God – is He able?
· Then everything is possible if He is able.!
Mark 9: 23 "Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

- do not fear …
Mark 5:36 … “Do not be afraid; only believe.”

4) Repentance
Mark 1: 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

VI) Increased Believing:
1. Confession of Faith:
Romans 10: 9 "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

2. Identity? Who am I …. “believer” – “believing”
· Every attack on faith
· Every lie of hell
· Every bump in the road of life
· Tragedy – sorrow – persecution – sickness
· Expectantly living believing in God
· Every trouble, stress, anger,
· Disappointment

Today I am “believing”